Never Alone
by smiles1116
Summary: Ayame... abandoned at birth. Sasuke... family slaughtered. Naruto... orphaned by the source of his power. How does one overcome their exile...?


[Never Alone] Sasuke One Shot (for inuyasha1618)

_This one shot is for inuyasha1618. I don't much care for Sasuke, but I respect him enough to consider him okay. He's just not my favorite, but I like to make fun of him. But… I managed to keep him pretty in character, me thinks. :)_

Name: Ayame

Looks: black waist-length hair, brown eyes

Personality: Happy-go-lucky, cheerful, friendly, stubborn, smart, but secretly hurting inside -- doesn't tell anybody, since she thinks they won't care --

Background: Abandoned at the Konoha gates at birth so no family, is a Konohagakure shinobi, doesn't like how Sasuke disregards Naruto

Ayame stares upward, watching the clouds drift by, face lacking expression. Her eyes hold a sad tinge as she revisits what little she can remember being told about her life before her childhood… which isn't that much. She can still hear the third Hokage's words echoing in her mind, telling her that she was taken in by an adoptive family after being abandoned. She almost doesn't hear the person next to her… which is a rather amazing feat, all things considered.

"AYAME-CHAN!"

Ayame jumps, looking up with a startled expression as the source of the sudden noise begins to laugh.

"Ha! You should see the look on your face!" Ayame watches with little expression as her friend falls to the ground laughing.

"… Are you quite through?"

"Um...." The boy on the ground rolls onto his stomach and grins, chin propped up on his hands. "Yeah, I guess so. So, Ayame-chan, are you coming with me for ramen like you promised, or what?"

Ayame blinks before smiling. "Of course, Naruto, I just spaced out a bit."

"Great! Then let's go!" He jumps up, pulling his friend to her feet, then proceeds to drag her all the way to the ramen stand… halfway across the village.

Naruto laughs as he pulls Ayame along, slowing as he reaches the stand before sighing and stating (loudly), "Aw great, teme's here."

At this, the raven-haired Uchiha merely sighs. Ayame mutters to Naruto, "Don't be so rude, Naruto."

"Hn. Dobe." Naruto glares.

"I am not! You're a teme, and we all know it!"

"… Baka."

"I am not! YOU'RE the baka, teme!"

"… Whatever." It is at this answer that Naruto knows he has lost because Sasuke will refuse to argue with him or call him names.

"Ah! You're such a teme, Sasuke!" Naruto sulks as he slides onto his stool. Ayame frowns a little and takes a seat between them, not liking the dismissal. She mentally sighs, deciding that she'll talk to him later about his treatment of Naruto.

***I know, I don't like timeskips either, but bear with me.... ^ ^;; ***

Ayame glances around before slipping into the shadows of the training field, keeping an eye out for her target, knowing he'll be here soon. She sits in the bushes and waits. Her eyes light up slightly as she sees none other than Sasuke himself walking out onto the field and pull out kunai. Ayame takes this as her chance and hops up, strolling out to meet him. "Sasuke!"

Sasuke glances over and mentally sighs, turning to face her. "… Yes?"

"Well," Ayame hesitates a moment. "I have… a favor to ask of you...."

Sasuke raises an eyebrow, wondering what she could possibly want from him. Ayame sighs and finally decides to just tell him.

"I don't like how you keep brushing off Naruto. It's not fair.... He cares about you, despite what you may think...."

Sasuke sighs. "… It doesn't matter. I don't need anyone." He turns, facing the target again. Ayame frowns.

"It does so. Sasuke...." Ayame's voice drops. "… It matters a lot. You lost people you care about. Naruto really never had anyone like you did… but he has to rely on his friends to take on those roles. He looks up to you… and you do nothing but beat him down...."

Sasuke pauses in mid-throw, obviously listening, even if he doesn't want to. Ayame's voice drops to just barely above a whisper. "… And then there's me.... I don't have anyone, either.... I never knew them, but you'd be surprised at how much it hurts, knowing that they're out there and just… don't want me.... I have to rely on you guys, too...."

Sasuke hesitates before slowly lowering his kunai and glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "… And… what is it you're asking of me?"

Ayame is silent for a moment. "… Just acknowledge him… even a little.... Show him he's not alone." Her voice is soft as she speaks, turning without another word as she walks off, hands in her pockets, leaving Sasuke remaining and staring at the ground.

***Next day***

Ayame sighs as she walks toward the training field the next morning to meet Naruto. All along the way, she regrets revealing anything to Sasuke, knowing he won't tell, but all the same.... She hates that he knows. She pauses and looks up when she hears Naruto's voice.

"Sasuke-teme!" The blonde is obnoxiously loud in the early morning. She glances over and sees him leaning against the tree, sullen as usual, the team of three waiting for their sensei. What surprises her most are the words that come out of his mouth next.

"… Yes… Naruto?"

Ayame's jaw drops open, eyes slightly widened in surprise. She sees Sakura look up in shock, as well as Naruto blinking and staring at his teammate, as if wondering what changed. Naruto soon pulls his act together and scoffs a little.

"About time you answered me, Sasuke." He crosses his arms and nods. She can see the slight vein on his forehead, but she notices he doesn't say a word about the blonde being weaker… for once. She smiles slightly, watching the dark-haired boy. Sasuke glances up, catching her eye, not looking away. Ayame smiles gently at him and inclines her head the least bit, showing her gratitude. Sasuke responds with the slightest inclination of his own head before shutting his eyes again. Ayame smiles a little, the smallest blush on her cheeks as she turns, heading for the next field over to meet her team. Sasuke's eyes open again and look up, never once looking away until the girl is out of sight.

***Three days later***

Sasuke slowly opens the door to his home, letting out a soft sigh as he closes the door. He has been doing as Ayame asked, but finds that the blonde's happier attitude toward him takes more energy away than before. He leans back against his door in thought, thinking maybe the extra energy he has been using isn't necessarily a bad thing.... It's just something he'll have to give more thought. Though try as he might, he still can't seem to get Ayame's words out of his mind....

_ Ayame's voice drops to just barely above a whisper. "… And then there's me.... I don't have anyone, either.... I never knew them, but you'd be surprised at how much it hurts, knowing that they're out there and just… don't want me…. I have to rely on you guys, too...."_

_ Sasuke hesitates before slowly lowering his kunai and glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "… And… what is it you're asking of me?"_

_ Ayame is silent for a moment. "… Just acknowledge him… even a little.... Show him he's not alone."_

A thought suddenly occurs to him, causing him to mentally slap himself… and physically too. He rubs his forehead a little as he realizes that it's not just Naruto and himself feeling alone. He takes a few steps forward and sinks onto a chair, wondering how long she's felt alone and like no one cares.

_She's such a caring person.... It's not right that she feels that way.... But why would she try so hard to get through to me… to get me to acknowledge Naruto… but not care about relieving her own sense of loneliness...?_ Sasuke's head lifts slightly with his next thought.

_Maybe… just maybe… it's because there's no need for us to be alone.... Maybe… we deserve to have someone there for us.... And if that's the case… then Ayame deserves to have someone, too._

***A week later***

Ayame heads home from the training grounds with a small smile on her face. She is pleased with the progress made between Sasuke and Naruto, knowing that they're slowly bonding and forming more than a rivalry half-friendship. She's sure she has almost caught a smile on his face more than once in the last two days. She soon finds herself in a field as the sun begins to set, sitting down as she lets herself begin to drift off into her memories....

Ayame is suddenly snapped from her thoughts as the sound of a stick cracking breaks the quiet of the evening. She tenses slightly before slowly sitting up, listening hard, hand on her kunai pouch. She relaxes slightly when she hears a voice.

"… It's just me...."

"… What are you doing here?" Ayame's hand falls from her pouch, going behind her as she leans back on her hands. Sasuke stands next to her quietly for several long moments before speaking.

"… I've decided something...."

"… What might that be, Sasuke?"

"...." He squats down next to her. She doesn't say a word. He stays quiet for a moment before whispering. "I've decided… you're not going to be alone and unloved anymore, either."

Ayame barely has time to register the words before turning, realizing that she's alone in the field again. She lets out a soft sigh and turns her gaze back toward the sky, but with a small smile fixed on her face.


End file.
